Mission Eastis a Danish international relief and development organisation, working in Eastern Europe and Asia. Our aim is to deliver relief aid, to create and support long-term development projects and to empower local aid organisations to carry on the work independently. Making no racial, religious or political distinction between those in need, we aim to assist the most vulnerable.

Spring 2012 - Haeju City

Mission East is carrying out another food assistance intervention in North Korea to help 'fill the gap' in the food supply in the 2012 'lean period' before the next harvest comes in. This year we are intervening in Haeju City in South Hwanghae Province. South Hwanghae is one of the provinces that was worst hit by heavy rains and repeat flooding in July and August last summer which significantly damaged last year’s rice harvest. It is now the time of year when last year's stock of food is beginning to run out and they are waiting for the new crops to grow. The shortages in South Hwanghae are much worse than usual. There have been some reports of deaths from starvation this spring, and to make matters worse in the coming months, there is a dry spell this spring which threatens this year's harvest.

When Mission East recently visited the area to determine if we would assist with an emergency food intervention here, we saw the evident effects of malnutrition on some of the most vulnerable children - especially young children in orphanages, who were listless, underweight and showed skin problems which are a sign of nutrient deficiencies. Authorities running the orphanages, nurseries and kindergartens in the area say rarely have meat and have shortages of soybeans, meaning that the children do not get enough protein int their diets. Their access to fruits and vegetables is also sporadic and insufficient.

Mission East will distribute a nutritional supplement, composed of proteins, minerals and vitamins. We will distribute the food through 80 nurseries, 49 kindergartens and 3 orphanages in Haeju City, covering their needs until the end of the 'lean period' when the fall harvest comes in. This supplement ensures that every child gets their daily recommended intake of vitamins and minerals and a much higher variety and intake of protein than they would receive in their normal diet.

This intervention will help the weakest children to improve their health status and will help to prevent those who are health status is vulnerable from lapsing into severe or moderate acute malnutrition this year.